Wire and cable connecter and terminal



July 2, 1935. P. DAVIDSON 2,006,794

WIRE AND CABLE CONNECTER AND TERMINAL Filed March 28, 1933 Patented July2, 1935 UNITED STATES WIRE AND CABLE CONNECTER AND TERMIN PhilipDavidson, Waterbury, Conn.

Application March 28, 1933, Serial No. 663,219

1 Claim.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in wireand cable connecters and terminals.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a wire and cableconnecter and terminal wherein the connecter device or terminal is inthe nature of a solderless connection and comprises screw threadadjusted members providing a clamping retention means for wires orcables 19 to be connected to the terminal end of a cable.

A further object of the invention is to provide a wire and cableconnecter and terminal of the foregoing character constructed andarranged to produce a clamping action in the nature of a strut resilientlock washer for securely fastening overlapping wires or a cable terminalin position in the connecter or terminal. When tightened, this resilientlock washer type of construction keeps the device from loosening whensub- 39 jected to vibration.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a wire and cableconnecter and terminal of such construction that a special wrench isrequired in order to tighten or loosen it, hence it cannot be easilytampered with except by one possessing the necessary special tool.

With the above and other objects in view that will become apparent asthe nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists 30in the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter morefully described, shown in the accompanying drawing and claimed.

In the drawing:-- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the wire or 35 cablereceiving frame part of the connecter showing the opposed internallythreaded arcuate guide legs;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the compressor or wire engaging partof the connecter 40 to be received on the frame legs and carrying theconveyor screw;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the conveyor screw removed from theclamping device;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the frame 45 and clamping device inassembled relation;

Figure 5 is an inverted perspective view of the compressor or clampingmember with the conveyorscrew removed and showing the oppositelydisposed spring lugs for retaining the conveyor 5 screw assembledtherewith and for exerting a spring action;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of another form of connecter framewherein the polygonal head is removed and the sides of the legsflattened to 65 provide wrench grips;

Figure '7 is a perspective view of the assembled clamping device andconveyor screw engaged. with the frame shown in Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a perspective view showing overlapped wires clampinglyretained in the connecter;

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the connecter modified to provide acable terminal with a cable end anchored therein;

Figure 10 is an inverted perspective view of the cable terminal shown inFigure 9; and

Figure 11 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a wrench employedfor operating the conveyer screw for the clamping device.

Referring more in detail to the accompanying drawing and particularly toFigures 1 to 5, there is illustrated a wire connecter for anchoringcables or wires as in electrical or other connections, the connecterincluding a wire receiving frame part having a polygonal head IS with aU-shaped member projecting therefrom having diametrically oppositeconcentric and arcuate legs l6 providing longitudinally extending sideopenings or slots l1 and being internally threaded as at III, theconnecting portion between the inner ends of the legs being transverselycurved as at N on an arc to provide intimate contact with a round orother curved wire.

A clamping device carrying a conveyor screw therefor is engaged with theframe part comprising the arcuate legs l6 and as shown in Figures 2 and5, the clamping device includes a cupshaped member having an annularskirt flange 20 with the end wall 2| thereof centrally cut away toprovide a relatively large circular opening 22 and further cut away toprovide a pair of diametrically opposite arcuate slots 23. The free edgeof the skirt flange 20 carries a pair of diametrically opposite inwardlydirected spring lugs 24 overlying the open side of the cup-shapedclamping device and respectively disposed between adjacent ends of thearcuate slots 23. The threaded screw 25 shown in detail in Figure 3 isprovided with a central key receiving polygonal opening 26 therein thatmay extend completely therethrough and is adapted to be confined withinthe cup-shaped member by the remaining portion of the end wall 2| andthe inwardly directed spring lugs 24.

To attach the clamping device shown in Figure 2 with the frame partshown in Figure 1, the free ends of the arcuate legs l6 are aligned withthe arcuate slots 23 in the clamping device and upon rotation of theconveyor screw 25, the threads thereof engage with the threads I 8 ofthe legs I. for moving the cup-shaped member of the clamping deviceeither downwardly or upwardly upon the legs II as shown in Figure 4.

' The wrench 21 shown in Figure 11 is inserted in the key opening of thescrew II for feeding the screw and cup-shaped member downwardly upon thelegs Ii for moving the spring lugs 24 into binding engagement with wireends inserted in the lower end of the slotted openings II. The lugs 24of the cup-shaped member extending through the slots I! prevent rotationof the cupshaped member upon the frame member comprising the legs Ii,but permit feeding movement of the cup-shaped member toward the closedends of the slots I! for clamping engagement with the wire ends, and thelegs li extending to the arcuate slots 23 also prevent rotation of thecupshaped member. When the-spring lugs 24 are engaged with the wireends, the relation between the cup-shaped member and the screw 25 issimilar to a split lock washer and nut occasioned by the threadedengagement of the screw 2! with the threads ii upon the legs Ii and theengagement of the screw with the inner sides of the spring lugs II. Thiscooperation between the parts prevents relative movement in the presenceof vibration or the like so that the wire ends are securely retained inthe connecter without the use of solder or the like. The polygonal headll upon one end of the frame member permits the application thereto of asuitable wrench to hold the frame member against rotation while the key21 is employed for feeding the screw 25 and cup-shaped clamping memberdownwardly upon the legs II. By reversing the direction of the conveyerscrew 25, the top of it presses against the underside of the top wall IIof the clamping device which travels upwardly and releases the bindingengagement with the wires.

In the form of connecter shown in Figs. 6 to 8, the head Ii of the framepart shown in Figure 1 has been eliminated while the lower ends of thearcuate legs I in have flattened surfaces II to provide a wrench grip.The cross wall at the inner ends of the slots lie is roughened orserrated as at lia to increase grip on the cables C, the construction ofthe connecter otherwise remaining the same as the form illustrated inFigures l to 5.

A cable terminal .s illustrated in Figures 9 and 10'and includes amounting plate 29 having a cupshaped member similar to the form shown inFigures 2 and 5 integral with one end thereof, the same including anannular skirt flange Ila depending from one end of the plate 29 andhaving an end wall Ila provided with arcuate slots 23a for the passageof the arcuate legs 16b of the U-shaped cable receiving frame, theopposed faces of the legs lib being threaded while opposite sides of thelegs at their lower ends are flattened as at Ila to provide a wrenchgrip. The conveyer screw 254 with the polygonal key receiving openingIia therein is received in the skirt flange "a. and confined at one endby the end wall Ila and confined at its other end by the lugs 24a and 30respectively carried by the skirt flange 20a and the mounting plate 29with the lugs extending into the slots between adjacent side edges ofthe legs lib and overlying the screw 25a. The cable C has one endinserted between the legs lib and the bottom wall 2la carried by theflange 20a. Upon operation of the conveyor screw Iia, the cable C isclamped between the bottom wall lie of the flange member at the end ofthe plate 29 and the bottom of the U-shaped frame comprising the legslib. The plate 29 is provided with an opening 290 to facilitate mountingthereof upon a support or the like'with the free ends of the legs libadjacent the support so that the conveyor screw 25a is hidden from viewand protected when the terminal is in mounted position so that accessthereto for tampering is prevented.

From the above detailed description of the invention, it is believedthat the construction and operation thereof will at once be apparent andwhile there is herein shown and described the preferred embodiment ofthe invention, it is nevertheless to be understood, that minor changesmay be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention as claimed.

I claim:

In a connecter for wires and cables, a U-shaped frame comprisingopposite arcuately curved in ternally threaded legs and a clampingmember and screw assembly mounted on the legs, the screw being rotatablyconflned within the clamping member and the clamping member beingslidable on the legs and the screw having threaded engagement with theinternal threads of the legs, the clamping member having an end wallwith arcuate slots therein for the passage of the legs, and inwardlydirected spring lugs at the other end of the clamping member extendingbe- ,tween the legs and cooperating with the end wall for holding thescrew rotatably confined within the clamping member.

PHILIP DAVIDSON.

